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“Ye’ve married into the Websters family, have ye nae?” Henry asked as his eyes shifted to the whiskey bottle.
“What of it?” Conner hissed, crossing his arms over his chest, itching to strike the man.
“Perhaps there are things ye should be askin’ them about too, nay?”
“What dae the Websters have to do wit’ any of this? Are ye suggestin’ they stole my maither and sister away?” Conner could feel the heat rising under his collar as his lips pursed into a tight line. Henry leaned back and pressed the tips of his fingers together as he glared at Conner.
“I would never imply such a thin’,” Henry said with a chuckle. “After all, ye ken better than I the family ye married into. But tell me, are they nae north of here?”
Frustrated, Conner slammed his hand on the desk, rattling the bottle of whiskey and the glasses. Damon jumped to his feet and started at Henry. Conner lifted his hand up and gave a sharp nod causing Damon to pause inches from Henry’s chair.
“Enough wit’ these games,” Conner demanded. “Where can I find Joseph O’Mallie?”
With a malicious glare, Henry’s lips curled at the corners, “He works for the Websters in the stable. At least, that was it the last time we spoke.”
“He could be lyin’,” Damon said as Conner watched Henry’s eyes shift about the room. “Everyone kens why ye had to marry Olivia. Yer marriage to her has been the talk of the county. Clearly, he’s just egging ye on.”
Henry shrugged as he arched his eyebrows. “Now why would I lie about such a thin’?”
“If yer lyin’ to me, I’ll see to it that ye’ll nae be workin’ for anyone in Scotland again.”
“Daenae make promises ye cannae keep,” Henry hissed. “But ye go on now and speak to her family about such things. Ye’ll see that I’m right.”
Chapter 18
The rain pounded against the window pane in a soft dull thud filling the silence of the room. A crack of thunder pulled Olivia out of her restless sleep. She shot up out of bed as the room lit up from the flash of silver light that streaked across the sky, illuminating her room before throwing her back into the darkness. Her heart pounded furiously within her chest as she stared wide eyed at the emptiness around her.
Her fingers dug into the blanket as beads of sweat pooled at her temples. Swallowing the fear down, she waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness before stretching a hand out to the space beside her. Deep within her bones, she prayed she wasn’t alone in the room. Yet, as her hand grazed over the cool empty place on the bed, the dread consumed her. It was clear Conner had not come to her by the frosty bedding and undisturbed pillows at her side. She ached to have him beside her, if only to pull him close to ease her fears.
Throwing the blankets off her, she slipped out of bed and threw on the robe thrown across the chair. Grabbing the candlesticks on the small table that she’d had breakfast with Conner, she hunted for the matchsticks in the dark. A small part of her wished she hadn’t set them so far away as the shadows around the room shifted and swayed, playing tricks with her eyes. Finally, her fingers curled around the long wooden sticks. She struck a match against the fireplace mantel and watched as the small orange glow illuminated part of the room.
Swallowing hard, she carefully drew the match to the candlestick and lit each candle until all three candles burned. The shadows scattered like smoke in the wind easing her mind a bit. Tiptoeing to the door didn’t help. Each floorboard seemed to let out an ominous moan under her weight that rattled her. With her heart pounding, she lifted her head and stormed out of the room determined to find Conner.
Olivia needed to feel his strong arms around her. Having him close, even if he called her a fool and a child was all she wanted. After all, she knew it was foolish to be so scared of the dark at her age. But she couldn’t help it. The dream lingered in her mind like a lemon and the images that plagued her mind wouldn’t cease.
Rushing to his room, she rapped her knuckles on the door. When there was no sound, she pried the door open and peaked inside the dark room. Her heart sank to her stomach to find the room just as barren as her own. Immediately, she knew there was only one other place he would be at this hour.
Through the silent castle she roamed and down the steps she went until the orange glow from a roaring fire illuminated the crack under the door. Her heart fluttered the instant she saw the light, it was as if someone had turned on the sun and there was no doubt she’d find Conner in the study.
Flitting to the door, she tilted her head hoping to catch a glimpse through the crack. She spied a man, hunched over himself, gazing into the fire that burned brighter than candles in her hand. Swallowing hard, she pushed open the door and stepped into the room.
“Olivia? What are ye doin’ up at this ungodly hour?” Conner asked, the daze in his eyes broke her. There was no doubt he’d been lost in thought when she arrived, yet as she approached him, he wasn’t too keen to have her there.
“I couldnae sleep,” Olivia confessed, inching closer to him. Conner’s eyebrows rose as he looked her over. It was as if he was staring at a stranger. There was a coldness about him that made her shiver. She had hoped to come to him and have him ease her troubled mind, yet she received a frigid reception.
“Ye shouldnae be down here at this hour and in nothin’ but yer shift. Get yerself back upstairs before someone sees ye like this.”
“Who is goin’ to see me? The servants are all asleep. The only one in threat of seein’ me is ye.”
“Why have ye come? Has somethin’ happened?”
“Can I nae come to my husband?” Olivia whispered even as she realized it was a bit embarrassing to confess such things out loud. “I had hoped ye would have come to me tonight.”
Conner’s head dropped as he pulled in a long deep breath. The anger on his face shifted to sympathy as she looked up to him through her thick eyelashes.
“I must have lost track of the time,” he said, running his hand through his hair. Standing, he threw his arms up into the sky to stretch out the aches. Olivia watched as his mouth opened in a large yawn. Her heart pummeled her chest as she held the candlestick out to him.
“It is rather late. Why daenae I walk ye back upstairs?” he said finally as he scanned the room. Olivia couldn’t figure out what it was exactly he was hunting for, but as she watched him, she noticed he barely even glanced to her.
